


el mayarah

by lifeinabeautifullight



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Angst, F/F, Family, Hurt/Comfort, Retribution, Sanvers is endgame
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-09
Updated: 2019-12-12
Packaged: 2020-11-28 14:44:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 18,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20968295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lifeinabeautifullight/pseuds/lifeinabeautifullight
Summary: It’s the anniversary of Jerimiah Danvers’ ‘death’. Alex and her wife, Maggie, are trying to make new memories with their little family. Cadmus, however, have other plans.Or - the one in which Alex finally tries to take down Cadmus.(Updated weekly).





	1. Chapter 1

White roses.

White roses have always been Maggie’s favorite.

The bouquet they’d tossed over their heads, that had ultimately been caught by M’gann, had consisted of white roses, and the flower had adorned seemingly every surface on that big day too. 

Every birthday, every Valentines Day, every just-because-I-wanna, Alex buys white roses. Today was no different. She purchases them, as always, from the florist around the corner from work and, unable to help herself, she excitedly tells Kayleigh, the proprietor, the reason behind her visit.

Alex is happy.

Alex has never been happier.

The universe hates her being happy.

The universe always tries to find a way to try to bring her down.

And as she turns the corner onto their street, her eyes instinctively travelling up to their apartment window, the universe pulls out their ace.

A figure crashes through the glass, arms flailing, screaming, plummeting.

Not any figure.

It’s Maggie that hits the sidewalk with a sickening thud, mere metres away.

The white roses slip from Alex’s grasp.

Blood is pooling.

Limbs are broken.

Body is twitching.

Eyes fluttering shit.

Dy--.

Alex wakes with a jolt.

Maggie stirs. ‘Hey.’

Alex’s chest feels tight, sweat sticks her pyjama top to her skin, and she can’t get  _ that  _ image out of her mind. It felt too real. She feels sick.

Even in her sleepy state, her wife quickly realizes it wasn’t some generic bad dream. ‘Babe, I’m here,’ she says softly as she sits up. ‘You okay?’

A few seconds, a few deep breaths and Maggie’s gentle touch helps to bring her heart back to a normal rate. ‘Yeah, I...bad dream.’ As it always was at this time of the year.

‘And that’s all it was,’ Maggie reassures. ‘A dream. There’s no bad here, it’s all good.’ She reaches for Alex’s hand and places it on her stomach. ‘See? All good.’

Alex rubs her wife’s growing belly, the curve of the bump subtle but just pronounced enough to feel.  _ All good _ .  _ All perfect _ . ‘This day…’ She sighs. ‘It fucks with my head.’

‘I know, love. I know.’ Maggie rests her forehead against Alex’s clammy temple. ‘But today’s a fresh start. We make new memories today. Happier ones. Ones that will make today a better day for you, for us, and for our family.’

‘_Our family_,’ Alex echoes, a smile tugging at her lips, as it always did, when she said that out loud. That was one dream she’d always wanted to come true and, this year, finally, it had. ‘Yeah. We will.’

Maggie strokes Alex’s cheek with her thumb. ‘Do you want to talk about it?’

‘No, I--.’ Alex shakes her head. ‘No, I want to forget about it.’

‘Okay,’ Maggie nods. ‘You know I’m always here if you want to get it out of your system though.’

Alex knows that, and she’s grateful. ‘Thank you.’

‘Always,’ Maggie smiles. ‘Now come cuddle us.’

_ Us _ . Every ounce of that earlier tension in her body dissipates as she lays back down and wraps her arms around her wife and her child, her own, and much longed for, little family - the other member of that little family, Gertrude ‘Trudy’ Sawyer-Danvers, sleeps at the foot of their bed as always.

Alex was very much liking this new normal already.

***** *** *****

Morning comes.

She feels better.

She feels so happy.

It’s easy to feel like that, to put that nightmare behind her, when she’s presented with the most wonderful sight in the world - her wife standing naked in the bathroom, marvelling over the life that’s blossoming within in front of the mirror.

‘Look at you two.’ Alex wraps an arm around her wife’s stomach. They’d noticed their little one beginning to make their presence known the other day at the doctor’s office, even going so far as to ask said doctor to confirm their eyes weren’t playing the most wonderful trick on them. ‘You know,’ Alex nuzzles Maggie’s neck. ‘There’s only so much longer we’re going to be able to keep this a secret.’

Maggie smiles back at their reflection. ‘You wanna tell people?’

‘Only if you do.’

‘And what if I don’t?’ The smile twists into a grin. 

‘Then you’re going to be asked a lot of questions for the next six-ish months.’

‘Man, six months,’ Maggie interlaces her fingers with Alex’s. ‘That’s so long.’

‘Scotch sales across the city are gonna tank.’

Maggie laughs. ‘I wasn’t even thinking about that. More like how I’ve got to wait six months to meet our little one.’

It was gonna be tough but they’d waited years for this, six months would be nothing. ‘They’ll be worth the wait.’  _ So worth the wait _ .

‘Let’s tell people this weekend,’ Maggie beams.

‘This weekend sounds great.’ Alex can’t wait.

***** *** *****

A second.

She switches off for just one second and pays the price for the lapse, the fist connecting with her face and the impact toppling her. She lands on her ass with a thud and to a collective gasp.

‘Ma’am, I’m so sorry I--.’

Alex slaps the rookie’s helping hand away. ‘Don’t.’ She pushes herself back to her feet. ‘You wouldn’t apologise to your enemy, so you don’t apologise to me.’ Her face is throbbing, an eventual black eye feels like a certainty. ‘Now. We do this again, and nobody apologises.’

The agent nods, but his enthusiasm has been dampened by the incident. He comes at her again but with less gusto and quickly ends up on the ground.

Alex pulls him to his feet and leans in close to whisper into his ear. ‘You did good, kid.’

With a small smile, he bows his head before taking his place with the rest of the group.

‘I’ll see you back here Thursday morning, nine a.m. sharp,’ she says. ‘Class dismissed.’

The spectator, who’d been watching for the past five minutes, waits until the group leaves before coming over. ‘That looked like it hurt.’

‘Yeah, just a little.’ It hurts like hell but she’ll live, she’s been through worse. ‘It’s my fault for getting distracted.’

‘Because of today?’ J’onn asks.

‘For once, no.’ Besides that nightmare of someone pushing her wife out of a window, she hadn’t really given today, the anniversary of her father’s ‘death’ much thought. Instead she was thinking about her future, about the child she’d meet in a few months, knowing that Jeremiah Danvers would be overjoyed for them - they hadn’t any leads on his location for years but she knew, just knew, that he was out there, somewhere, and he’d get to meet his grandchild one day. ‘I’ve got something to show you.’ She grabs her towel and hangs it around her neck before leading the way.

They make small talk through the corridors and in the elevator before finally arriving at her office. 

She types in the pincode and they enter. ‘You can keep a secret, can’t you?’

‘You know I can,’ the Martian replies. 

She does. ‘Good.’ He may only be loosely connected to the DEO these days, thanks to a partnership that they established with his PI firm, but it was enough for Alex to make him her deputy and he had duly filled in for her when she’d accompanied Maggie to the many, many appointments on their quest to conceive. He was the only one that knew they were trying and, ultimately, if it hadn’t been for him offering her a job in the first place, then she’d never have met her wife, the mother of her child, the love of her life. Telling him first felt right. ‘We’re going to tell everyone this weekend but I just...I think you should know now.’ She hands him the frame she’d tucked away in her top drawer, the frame that was all ready to sit proudly on her desk once the world knew.

His face lights up at the grainy image. ‘I am so, so happy for you two.’

Alex can tell.

He was starting to get a little choked up. ‘How...how far along is she?’

‘Ten weeks,’ Alex says. ‘We found out a couple of weeks ago and, god, it’s been hard keeping it a secret. I just want to shout it from the rooftops, you know?’

J’onn smiles. ‘I know that feeling.’

‘That was taken a couple of days ago, at our first scan.’ Alex perches herself on the edge of her desk. ‘They’re healthy and everything looks good. Tiny, though...apparently this little one is taking after her mama already.’

He chuckles. ‘How is she?’

‘Great,’ Alex answers. ‘No morning sickness, no aches or pains, nothing. Guess all that yoga and a balanced diet works, huh? Don’t tell her I said that.’

‘I won’t,’ she says as she hands the picture back. ‘Like I said, I can keep a secret. Kept one for the past few years after all.’

Years. That was how long it’s taken them, and what had made seeing those two blue lines even sweeter. They’d been so close to giving up, to turning to adoption which, though they both knew was a truly wonderful thing, would be another long process, one that the secrecy of Alex’s career made complicated. Maybe they’d look to it in the future, to give their little one a brother or sister when the time was right. ‘Kryptonians can’t combust, right?’

He laughs again. ‘She might.’

‘She’s gonna be so excited.’ Her sister loved kids and was, at heart, a big kid herself. She was going to make the absolute best aunt. ‘I can’t wait to tell her. And my mom…’ Alex tails off, smiling. Whilst Eliza had never once put any pressure on them to give her grandkids, Alex knew she longed to be that grandmother that baked cookies, that crocheted baby blankets, that saved up pennies to give her grandkids, all of it. ‘I...I can’t believe this is happening.’

The Martian reaches over, enveloping her in a hug. ‘You’re going to be a great mother.’

‘I hope so.’

‘I  _ know  _ so.’ J’onn kisses the top of her head. ‘I need to get back to the office. Pass on my congratulations to Maggie.’

‘I will. Thank you,’ Alex says. ‘For everything. None of it would’ve been possible without you.’

He simply nods, smiles and leaves.

Alex’s eyes drift down to the photograph in her hands, and she runs a finger over the glass as her thoughts drift to all the possibilities, and all the exciting firsts that lay ahead. ‘I can’t wait to tell the world about you soon.’ She feels emotions beginning to choke her. ‘You’re already making me so happy, I--.’

There’s a knock at the door.

She quickly composes herself, putting the frame back in the drawer. ‘Come in.’

It’s the rookie from earlier. ‘Ma’am.’

‘Agent Donovan,’ she greets him. ‘How can I help you?’

‘Agent Dox is requesting your presence.’

She nods. ‘I’ll be right there.’

Donovan turns to exit.

‘Hey.’

‘Yes ma’am?’

‘You have a mean right hook.’

His smile is nervous. ‘Yeah, I, uh...I hope I didn’t hurt you.’

‘It’s nothing that I can’t handle,’ she replies. ‘Next time though? You won’t even come close to hitting me.’

The nerves suddenly seem to dissipate. ‘If that’s a challenge, then I accept.’

She likes that attitude. ‘We’ll see.’

***** *** *****

She hightails it over to the briefing area. ‘Agent Dox, do you not have a--.’  _ Phone _ .

There was not a phone in sight but there was pizza. A stack of them that Brainy was proudly standing next to. ‘I thought I would treat everyone to lunch. You are the director, so you can get first choice.’

She should’ve expected this. Every year, since finding out the significance of the date, Brainy would make some gesture to try to make her day a little better. One year, it’d been donuts; another, gummy bears; and so on. She appreciated it immensely. ‘Normal toppings? No apples and olives?’

‘None. Except on mine, of course.’ He opens one box. ‘Margarita.’ And another. ‘Pepperoni--.’

She stops him. ‘Well, you know me...I’ve always been partial to Margarita.’

‘Indeed, and it is especially amusing as that could apply to both your wife and the alcoholic beverage.’

Alex grins. ‘You’re absolutely right.’ Her phone rings.  _ Speaking of _ . ‘Hey--.’

‘Alex!’

Her stomach drops at the distressed tone. ‘Are you--.’

And drops further and further. ‘My car got hit, it...it seemed intentional, I--.’

‘Where are--.’

‘Shit. They’re coming, I--.’

‘Where are you?’ She asks louder this time, sparking everyone in the DEO’s attention.

‘Corner of Dean Aven--.’ She doesn’t get to finish. Glass shatters. Maggie gasps. The call becomes muffled.

‘Maggie?’

Groans.

Alex’s heart pounds in her chest. It’s like that dream except, except it’s not - this is real.

A voice comes through. A man. ‘Hello, Director Danvers.’

‘Who is this?’

‘You know who this is. And you know why.’

And then, a gunshot.


	2. Chapter 2

The solitary shot rings in her ears.

The phone nearly slips from her hand.

It takes her a few seconds to, shakily, turn to Brainy. ‘Corner of Dean Avenue. Now.’

He sprints to the balcony to take flight, notifying Supergirl en-route.

The world starts to spin fast; the seconds that pass are excruciatingly slow, the longest of Alex’s life. Then, finally, her sister’s voice crackles through. ‘I’ve got her, she’s okay.’

_ Thank. God. _

‘She’s a little shaken, and there’s a few cuts but it all seems superficial--.’

‘Fucking hell, my fucking ears,’ comes a familiar grumble.

‘She may also have tinnitus.’

‘Let me speak to her,’ Alex says.

The phone gets passed over. ‘The bastard pulled the trigger right next to my goddamn ear...a warning shot, I think…’cause wrecking my car wasn’t enough. Jesus…’

Kara comes back on the line. ‘Her car is a wreck. I’m surprised she’s okay.’

On the outside, maybe. There was more,  _ a lot more _ , to consider right now, more than there’s ever been. ‘Stay with her. I’m on my way.’

‘You don’t want me to bring her in?’

‘No.’ Too much was at stake to not play things by the book. ‘I’m sending a MTU just to be safe. You can never be sure with these sort of wrecks, and I don’t want to risk complications with flight.’ For both her wife and her child’s sakes. ‘Any sign of who did this?’

‘None, but Brainy is scouting the area.’

‘They drove off,’ Maggie mutters. ‘They were driving a garbage truck.’ 

_ Damn _ . ‘Well, hopefully that makes finding these sons of bitches easier,’ Alex remarks. ‘I’ll be there in ten. Hang tight.’

*** *** ***

Ten minutes were cut to seven, as Alex cut through traffic on her  _ Ducati _ .

She knows she shouldn’t, knowing that she has to be careful now more than ever, but she couldn’t help it. Her wife, the mother of her child, could’ve been killed in someone’s sick, twisted attempt to send a message - to say she was pissed was an understatement.

_ Someone _ .

As if she doesn’t know who that  _ someone _ was.

Cadmus.

It has to be. They had a track record of fucking with her on this day, and today was almost certainly another mindgame to assert their dominance, to remind her of the hurt they’d caused her family some twenty years ago, and the hurt they continue to cause as they still, somewhere, had her father.

Now they want to take more.

Alex wasn’t sure she’d survive if they were to succeed.

She arrives at the scene and finds her wife hunched over, Kara tenderly resting a hand on her back and holding a bottle of water in the other.

‘Hey,’ Alex says gently, worry levels starting to creep up. ‘Are you okay?’

‘She’s been sick,’ Kara explains.

Alex can see that. ‘Can you give us some space?’

‘Of course,’ Kara gestures to the sky. ‘I’ll go look for that truck. Call me if there’s anything either of you need.’

‘Thank you,’ Alex waits until they’re alone before asking. ‘Is this--.’

‘It’s morning sickness,’ Maggie says. ‘I’ve been feeling like shit the past couple of days, and I’m pretty sure everyone in my precinct knows given the amount of times I’ve had to run to the bathroom to throw up.’

‘Oh love,’ Alex kneels beside her. ‘Why didn’t you say anything?’

‘I didn’t want you to fuss, you know?’

‘Honey, you’re my wife. It’s my job to fuss.’ She places a kiss on Maggie’s temple. ‘A job that I absolutely love and take very, very seriously.’ Another kiss. ‘I want to fuss.’ She goes in for a third kiss but is stopped by the blood on Maggie’s hand. ‘Did you crawl out of the car?’

‘They dragged me out.’

Alex takes Maggie’s hand in hers to examine it. ‘That’s gonna need stitches.’ Not many, but definitely a few to close it. ‘Did...did you suffer any impact to your--.’

Maggie sees where she’s headed. ‘No. The seat belt did it’s job,’ she says. ‘I actually feel good - besides the whole morning sickness, and that goddamn ringing in my ear, I’m good. And lucky.’ She looks over at the wreck that was once her  _ Dodge Charger _ . ‘Very lucky.’

‘The NCPD is gonna be pissed.’

‘I am pissed,’ Maggie sighs. ‘With all the budget cuts that’s being thrown at us, buying a new car is the last thing we need.’

Alex forces a smile. ‘There’s a med team arriving in a couple of minutes. We’ll take you back to the DEO and get you properly checked over, just in case.’ _ Just in case _ ...the fact it was even a possibility was gnawing away at her. ‘I would’ve had you take the  _ Supergirl Express _ but I didn’t want to risk anything.’

‘Plus, you know how much I hate it.’

The chuckle is genuine, a result of her wife’s uncanny ability to make her laugh in even dire situations. ‘Yeah, that too. I care about both your health and your dignity.’ She places a hand on Maggie’s stomach. ‘And our little one.’ The mood returns to the heavier one.

‘I hope they’re okay.’

‘I hope so too.’

Alex’s phone rings.

An unknown number.

Alex answers.

‘Director Danvers.’ It’s Lillian.

_ Who else would it be _ ? ‘So it was you.’

‘You need to stay away.’

‘From?’

The Luthor matriarch offers no answers. ‘This was your one and only warning. If you choose not to heed it then we _will_ finish the job next time.’

‘Stay away from what?’ Not that it matters anyway - Lillian had managed to make this even more personal, and there was no way in hell that she was getting away with this.

Again, the question is dodged, and she ends with two words that only piss Alex off even more. ‘Happy anniversary.’

*** *** ***

The med team takes Maggie back to the DEO, Supergirl flying overhead of the vehicle to ensure a safe journey.

Maggie gets checked over.

All is okay.

Yet Alex feels far from okay - anger, worry, helplessness just a few of the feelings coursing through her veins.

Again, Maggie makes lame jokes to lighten the mood. ‘So...baby’s first car wreck.’

‘Baby’s  _ last _ car wreck,’ Alex corrects.

‘Not if Aunt Kara is ever behind the wheel.’

Jibes at her sister’s infamously bad driving would always raise a smile. ‘Maybe we should tell her sooner rather than later. Especially after today.’

Maggie agrees. ‘It wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world.’

It was, however, going to be under the worst circumstances in the world. Cadmus was about to take yet another moment from her - that happy moment of telling Kara in some big elaborate way.

‘How does that feel?’ Doctor Madison asks.

Maggie tenses her hand, wincing ever so slightly. ‘It feels about as good as having your hand stitched back together could ever feel.’

‘The stitches will dissolve so you won’t need to have them removed. Just keep the wound dry for the first twenty-four hours and change the dressing daily. I’m sure your wife can help with that.’

Maggie smiles at Alex. ‘This one did say she loves to fuss.’

She did, and she will fuss. Her sweet, beautiful, wonderful wife wasn’t ready for the amount of fussing that was about to come her way.

_ Nor was Lillian Luthor ready for the impending consequences for what she had done _ .

That would come later. Maggie, right now, was the priority. ‘And everything else is definitely okay?’ Alex asks.

‘Everything else looks fine,’ Madison reassures. ‘Obviously, if there’s any new symptoms then, of course, let me know. But other than that, there’s no reason to be worried.’

It slips out. ‘Besides the fact that someone tried to kill my wife.’

Maggie’s eyes flick down.

The doctor nods solemnly. ‘Unfortunately, I can’t help with that. Any concerns relating to Detective Sawyer’s health then please, don’t hesitate.’ He turns to exit.

Alex isn’t finished. Not yet. She has to be sure. ‘Can you, uh...can you keep this quiet? I know--.’

‘Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone,’ he smiles. ‘Doctor-patient confidentiality.’

She knows that. She also knows of the ways that medical professionals could toe the lines of HIPAA. ‘I know, I know...I’m just, you know, kinda paranoid.’

Madison chuckles. ‘Welcome to parenthood, Director Danvers.’ And with that, he leaves.

‘He won’t tell anyone, babe,’ Maggie says. ‘He knows you’ll fire his ass if he so much as hints at it. Our secret is safe, it’s okay.’

‘It’s kinda not,’ Alex grimaces before she makes the admission. ‘I told J’onn. I’m sorry, I know you wanted to tell everyone together, it’s just--.’

‘No,’ Maggie shakes her head. ‘No apologies. He’s played a huge part in your life, and helped to make this all possible. It’s only right he knows. And, besides...I told someone too.’

‘You did?’ Alex frowns. ‘Who?’

‘Trudy.’

‘Maggie…’ Alex can’t fight the smile.

‘What? You know what it’s like when she looks at you with those big puppy dog eyes.’

Alex does know. She also feels the same when she simply looks at her wife - wanting to give her anything and everything, her heart so full of love that it feels impossible to contain. That’s a feeling that’s only gotten stronger the past few years, the selflessness of Maggie as they tried to start their family incredible. Now it was Alex’s turn to return the favour, and to fuss and to spoil. ‘You feeling any better?’

‘A little,’ Maggie nods. ‘It usually subsides by the afternoon.’

‘What did you have for lunch?’

‘I...uh, I kinda skipped it. I wasn’t feeling that hungry.’

Alex doesn’t chide. ‘I’ll go get you something. What do you want?’

‘After today? A stiff drink.’

That was very much a mood. ‘You’re gonna have to wait a few more months for that, I’m afraid.’ Alex leans over to place a kiss on Maggie’s forehead. ‘Brainy got pizza for lunch. A  _ lot _ of pizza. You want some?’

‘As long as it’s--.’

‘There’s no apples and olives, you’re safe,’ Alex grins. ‘I’ll bring you some.’

*** *** ***

She grabs a pizza box from the break room and fills it with assorted slices before heading to her office to grab the bag of gummy bears she kept in her desk - Maggie wasn’t really at the whole cravings stage just yet, but, much like Alex, she’d always been fond of  _ Haribo _ .

Alex is surprised to find a familiar face waiting to greet her there. ‘Hey?’

Gertrude’s tail wags as she pounces at her mama.

‘There you are.’

Alex spins at the voice. ‘What happened now?’

As expected by the German Shepherd’s appearance, as well as the pained looked on her sister’s face, it isn’t good news. ‘I went to your house to find a change of clothes for Maggie, like you asked, and well, there’s no easy way to say this, but someone had broken in.’

_ Someone _ .

Again, the answer is obvious.

‘Lillian is really trying to piss me off today, isn’t she?’

‘I think this is more than a stunt,’ Kara says. ‘Assuming that this is Cadmus’ doing, it’s like they were looking for something. They ransacked it.’

‘Looking for what? We don’t keep that sort of shit in our house, why would we?’ The DEO was the safest possible place for any intel and, besides that, since moving into their home - their family house, and the home they planned on growing old in - they did their best to not take work home with them, both physically and emotionally - the latter was hard to do, their respective careers always taking that emotional toll, but the former was more manageable. ‘Whatever it is that they’re looking for, they wouldn’t have found it.’ Alex’s eyes return to the loyal pup that’s by her side, and she crouches to give her furbaby some love. ‘Is she okay?’

‘I think so,’ Kara nods. ‘Can’t say the same about whoever broke in - there were traces of blood on the floor. Human, not canine.’

_ Atta girl, Trudy _ . ‘I want a forensic team there immediately.’

‘Already on it, already swabbed and in testing.’

‘Good,’ Alex says, though none of this was even remotely  _ good _ as she tries to process this latest fucked up development. ‘So...so they’re looking for something? But what?’

Kara shrugs.

‘Or,’ Alex wags a finger. ‘Or they want us to think that. Another mindgame.’ She starts pacing. ‘Today is--.’

‘The anniversary,’ Kara says soberly. ‘I guess it’s not at all a coincidence they chose today of all days to break into your house, and attempt a hit on your wife.’

‘Not just Maggie.’

‘There was someone else?’

In a way, it is an elaborate reveal, as she walks over to her desk and brings out the photograph she couldn’t wait to put on display. ‘There was someone else in that car.’ She hands the frame to Kara. ‘And I can’t let anything happen to them.’

‘Alex, this is…’ Kara’s smile is big, so big, as she forgets, momentarily, about the severity of the situation they’re in. ‘Amazing. So amazing! I didn’t know you were even trying.’

‘We have been for the past year or so.’ She’d shared a lot with her sister over the years. Kara knew that, since the reconciliation, kids were something that Alex and Maggie hoped to, one day, have yet Alex had been coy about the  _ when  _ and  _ how _ . ‘We kept it on the downlow in case nothing came of it. But yeah, Maggie’s preg--.’

Kara envelopes her in a tight hug.

‘Easy,’ Alex chuckles. ‘And please don’t hug Maggie like that.’

‘Of course, of course,’ Kara squeals as she pulls away. ‘Oh my god! I’m gonna be an aunt!’

_ The best aunt _ .

‘How far along is she?’

‘Almost ten weeks,’ Alex replies. ‘We were planning on telling everyone this weekend but, thanks to some assholes, here we are.’ And there it was, the severity of the situation comes crashing right back down on them. ‘Any attempted hit on Maggie is an attempted hit on our child too.’

‘Do you think Lillian knows?’

Alex shrugs. ‘Impossible to say.’ She had given it some thought and it was possible - if Cadmus cared enough to access medical records then it’d be there, in black and white. ‘So. They’re either looking for something, or they really wanted to fuck with me. Or both. Both seems the likeliest.’

‘As she said...to warn you off.’

‘Warn me off what? We haven’t had any leads on Cadmus for years.’ And that wasn’t for lack of trying. Alex sighs. ‘I woke up on this date, for the first time since dad disappeared, happy. Genuinely happy. ‘Cause I know he’d be happy for me, for us. And now?’ She swallows, hard. ‘Now, the thing that made me so happy is in danger. You...you probably have a target on your back too. And...and mom, oh god.’

‘Should we bring her in too?’

‘Yes. Which I’m sure she’ll be absolutely thrilled about.’

Kara perches on the desk beside Alex, and nudges her sister’s arm. ‘I’m sure something would lighten her spirits.’

It would. And then would make her worry even more. ‘Not how I ever envisaged telling her about her first grandchild.’ Alex scoffs. ‘Who am I kidding? Why am I even surprised anymore? This shit always happens to me. To Us.’ A sigh. ‘What are we gonna do?’

‘Everything we can do to keep everyone safe.’ She says it calmly, like the stoic superhero the world knew her as.

Like the stoic superhero that Alex wished she could, right now, be as her entire world was at risk of crumbling. ‘You know what car crashes are like. They’re unpredictable. Maggie could’ve died today, they have no problems about killing her. She’s just a pawn in this sick, twisted game they’ve been playing for years. And if they know about the baby then...’ She tails off, unable and unwilling to even voice that horrid thought. ‘Maybe this a sign.’

Kara frowns. ‘A sign?’

‘Yeah, a sign. A sign that I should quit.’

‘Alex--.’

Alex cuts her off. ’I lost my father because of this job. I don’t want to even think about putting a child through that, let alone put them in danger.’ This wasn’t a new idea. No, not at all. She’d been giving this some thought recently, thinking about, and kinda wanting, a normal job. A job that didn’t put her in so much danger, and a job with steady hours that would ensure she didn’t miss so much. ‘I just...I want my child to live a normal life.’

‘Normal?’

Alex nods. ‘Yeah. Normal. What’s wrong with that?’

‘Nothing,’ Kara says. ‘But nothing about our life has ever been  _ normal _ . Why change that? Why quit and let them win?’

‘Because if I stay then I could lose,’ Alex replies. ‘I could lose  _ everything _ .’

Kara wraps an arm around her sister’s shoulders. ‘I won’t let that happen. I promise.’

And Alex knows that promise is genuine, that her sister would do everything she could. But, sometimes, even the Girl of Steel could only do so much. 

‘Go,’ Kara says softly. ‘Go be with your wife. Brainy and I will take care of things for the next little while. We’ll let you know when we find something we can act on.’

Alex doesn’t need telling twice.

*** *** ***

She returns with the earlier promised pizza, finding her wife staring out of a window.

‘Maggie?’ Her voice is gentle, careful not to startle.

Maggie turns around, eyes teary.

Alex feels the same, feeling every bit as scared and as worried as the pained expression that had cracked through Maggie’s earlier brave facade. She puts the food down and opens her arms for Maggie to walk into.

‘I shouldn’t have walked away from that wreck.’

Alex doesn’t know what to say. She knows what she  _ has _ to say, and she hates having to say it. ‘They, uh....they broke into our house too.’

Maggie looks up. ‘What? Is Trudy--.’

‘She’s fine,’ Alex reassures. ‘Kara brought her here. She’s okay, unlike the asshole she bit.’

‘Kara or Trudy?’

The lame joke works, lightening the mood that little bit. ‘Trudy.’

‘Just checking.’

Alex tenderly rubs her wife’s back until Maggie pulls away.

‘This is all my fault.’

‘No,’ Alex says firmly. ‘No, it’s not.’

‘It is,’ Maggie remains insistent.

So Alex listens. ‘Why do you think that?’

‘Because…’ Maggie takes a deep breath, then comes out with it. ‘I’ve been looking into Cadmus. For years.’

This was news to Alex. It wasn’t, however, overly surprising - Cadmus were against everything Maggie Sawyer-Danvers stood for, of course she’d want to take them down. ‘Well, you’ve obviously rattled them,’ Alex says. ‘What info do you have?’

Maggie is hesitant. ‘I, uh…’ She tugs on Alex’s arm. ‘Can we sit down?’

‘Of course.’ Alex lets herself be led over to the bed, where she takes her place beside Maggie...Maggie who’s suddenly overcome with nerves.

‘I...I should’ve told you this before, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be keeping secrets from you.’

‘Love,’ Alex says gently, even though her stomach is starting to feel uneasy as whatever bombshell loomed overhead. ‘Tell me. Please?’

Another deep breath. Then the news. ‘I know where your father is.’

Oh.

_ Oh _ .

She’s not offered any time to react to the news as there’s a knock on the open door and Brainy stands there. ‘I am sorry to interrupt but we have a match on the blood found at your house.’

‘Y-Yeah?’ Alex manages - it’s all she can say, words escaping her at this present moment in time.

'Yes, it is a hundred percent match,' Brainy nods. ‘To Jeremiah Danvers.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as always, leave your thoughts (and/or yell at me) in the comments below x


	3. Chapter 3

She trusts Brainy.

She trusts the forensic scientists that matched the blood sample.

She still, however, doesn’t believe it. 

‘My father broke into our house? And ransacked it? On the day that the organization that took him, tried to kill my wife?’ Alex pinches the bridge of her nose. ‘None of this makes sense.’

Maggie’s eyes flick between Alex and Brainy. ‘Hey, can you give us a moment alone?’

The Coluan nods. ‘Of course.’

‘Babe, I--.’ Maggie rests a hand on Alex’s thigh.

Alex flinches, jumping to her feet. ‘And you knew he was alive? How long have you known, huh? How long have you known that my father, the person I grew up idolizing, the person I miss every single day, was still alive?’

‘A couple of months.’

Alex’s eyes go wide. ‘Please tell me this is a joke.’

‘It’s not,’ Maggie shakes her head. ‘Let me explain, okay? Let me--.’

Alex raises a palm. ‘No. I can’t, I…’ She’s unable to finish, unsure of what to say so decides to leave the room instead.

An unrelenting Maggie follows her all the way to her office. ‘Alex, you need to hear me out, I--.’

‘How could you do this to me? You know what this means to me.’ Her tone is loud, angry, fuelled by a multitude of emotions.. ‘I can’t believe you would--.’

Maggie gently touches her arm.

This time, the tenderness of the touch is enough to cut through, to calm her down.

‘I know you’re upset,’ Maggie says softly. ‘And I understand why but, please. Let me explain why I did this.’

Tears begin to sting Alex’s eyes. As confused as she is about the whole situation, she hates how harsh her words had sounded. She nods and allows herself to be guided over to the couch to sit down.

‘I found out your father was alive a couple of months ago,’ Maggie starts off by repeating the earlier information. ‘I got a tip about a meet. I went along, and I kept my distance. Lillian was meeting an unidentified, and unidentifiable, woman. Your father was there too, acting as, for lack of a better word, Lillian’s lackey. I did not know he was going to be there and, given how dangerous we know Cadmus to be, opted to not follow them after that meet.’

Alex takes a few seconds to process the information, to try and start tying things together. ‘Is that why they came after you today? Because they saw you?’

‘No, I don’t think so. Like I said, I kept my distance, and I don’t think I was spotted,’ Maggie says. ‘I do have photographs of that night but I doubt that’s what they’re scared of. The intel I’ve been gathering, though? I think that’s what has them so worried, and likely why they went to our house.’

_ They _ . Her father.  _ A lackey _ . ‘My father...do you think he’s under their control?’

Maggie nods. ‘I do think that, yes.’

‘And this intel....was it at our house?’

‘No,’ Maggie answers. 

‘Then where--.’

Maggie taps her watch. ‘There’s a microSD hidden in here, has been for years.’

Alex reaches over.

Maggie pulls her arm away. ‘No. Not happening. Not right now. A lot of this intel is unverified. That’s why I never told you. Intel can get us somewhere. Unverified intel can get us killed. And that’s not happening.’ She cups Alex’s face. ‘Our child needs you.  _ I  _ need you. I can’t do this alone. This is our dream, and we’re going to do it together.’

Alex closes her eyes, resting her forehead against Maggie’s. ‘We are.’

They share a few moments together before it’s back to the earlier discussion, back to thinking about Cadmus. ‘Today has been tough. But it’s solidified my theory.’

‘That is?’

‘That they have no intention of killing him,’ Maggie says. ‘They need him, they would’ve killed him years ago if they didn’t. Instead, they come after me to send a warning.’

That makes sense. 

‘And I will give you this intel but on one condition.’

‘And that is?’ Alex asks.

‘That you promise not to do anything reckless.’

‘I promise.’ Things are different now and, like she told her sister, Alex never wants to put a kid through all that heartbreak, and all those unanswered questions. She couldn’t be reckless, not anymore. 

‘Thank you,’ Maggie smiles. ‘We’ll go over it tomorrow.’

‘Tomorr--.’

‘Tomorrow, yes,’ Maggie nods. ‘They’re not doing anything with your father anytime soon. And if I’m being selfish then tell me but I’m not feeling too great right now and--.’

Alex cuts her off. ‘I need to fuss over you.’

Maggie nods. ‘I would really love that right now.’

‘Of course,’ Alex smiles. ‘You’re right. We can, and we will reconvene in the morning, when we’re thinking clearer. You,’ Alex gently prods her wife’s stomach, ‘and this little one have to come first. That’s what my father would want. Family comes first.’ A familiar phrase comes to mind. ‘ _ El mayarah _ .’ The House of El’s family motto. ‘Stronger together.’

*** *** ***

_ Stronger together _ .

It felt somewhat hypocritical to say those words out loud after the way she reacted to that bombshell.

It was Maggie. Her wife. Her ride or die. If she was keeping quiet about things then it was because she thought it was for the best which, yes, it was - Maggie knew her too well, and knew she had a tendency to rush into things so, yeah, keeping things on the downlow was the right call.

And now Alex feels terrible.

She has to put things right.

Yet she can’t leave the building, at least not right now when there was a giant target on her back.

Fortunately being the Director had its perks. ‘Agent Donovan?’ Alex says, catching the rookie that’d knocked her for six this morning.

Donovan spins, standing tall. ‘Yes, Ma’am?

‘I need you to go buy some flowers for me.’

The kid seems, understandably, confused. ‘Flowers?’

‘Did I stutter?’

No, but he does. ‘N-No Ma’am. What kind of flowers?’

‘White roses preferably. If not then just the biggest bouquet they have. Also get some  _ Red Vines _ .’ She reaches into her pocket and brings out a wad of notes. ‘This should be more than enough.’

He takes the money. ‘Yes Ma’am.’ He’s about to leave.

‘Hey, Donovan?’

He stops. 

‘Thank you.’

The young man nods and goes on his rather unusual assignment.

Alex heads on in to her office, and finds quite the little gathering.

‘I always wished we could have a canine companion on the ship.’

‘Dogs not suited to travel through time and space?’ Maggie asks.

Brainy shakes his head. ‘No, that was not why - actually dogs are more than robust enough to deal with the physical demands of such travel. Unfortunately the issue was not with our four-legged friends but, rather, our two legged friends. Well, one two legged friend.’

Maggie’s eyes narrow. ‘Who?’

‘Our beloved former Prince of Daxam, Mon-El, was allergic to dogs.’

Kara’s jaw drops. ‘What?’

Brainy nods. ‘Oh, yes. Very allergic to them.’

‘Wow,’ Kara says. ‘Maybe it was for the best after all. I mean, sure, there’s hypoallergenic dogs but--.’

‘You’d never be able to fulfil your lifelong dream of adopting an entire shelter?’ Alex laughs as she sits down beside her wife.

Kara’s not laughing, she’s serious. ‘Yes. And one day that  _ will _ happen.’

As Maggie reaches for another slice of pizza, Alex gives her a little nudge whilst giving her The Look.

As always, they’re on the same page and Maggie understands the signal. ‘Hey Brainy, we have something to tell--.’

‘You are currently with child, I am aware.’

Maggie turns to Alex. ‘You told him too?’

Alex shakes her head. ‘No!’

Then to Kara. ‘Did you?’

The younger Danvers sister raises her hands in defence. ‘I didn’t either.’

Brainy clears up the confusion. ‘Neither of them needed to. I am from the future. I know things.’

Alex’s eyebrows shoot up. ‘You know about our child?’

Kara sits forward. ‘And my niece or nephew?’

‘I do,’ he replies. ‘However if you are seeking further information then I must remind you of the concept of  _ The Butterfly Effect _ and, ergo, I will not be answering any questions on the matter.’

_ Damn _ .  _ Of course _ . 

‘I have one question,’ Maggie raises a finger.

‘Apologies but if it is about the future then, again, I will not be answering.’

‘Not even about the  _ Superbowl _ ?’

Alex snorts. ‘C’mon, babe. It doesn’t take a time traveller to tell you that the  _ Chiefs _ aren’t winning anytime soon. Hell, I know absolutely nothing about football and can safely say that.’

‘One year,’ Maggie says.

‘One year pigs may fly, yes,’ Alex counters.

‘Our kid’s gonna support the  _ Chiefs _ , I’ll make sure of it.’

‘Teaching them about the concept of failure, huh? Well, that’s one way to do it,’ Alex grins.

The remark earns her an elbow to the ribs. ‘Jackass.’

‘Interesting,’ Brainy remarks.

‘What is?’ Alex looks over.

‘How, relatively in human terms, young you both are yet you are still the embodiment of the phrase  _ old married couple _ .’

They can’t really dispute that. They’ve been like that since day one. Yet they aren’t the only ones. ‘Says you,’ Alex fires back.

Her wife is on her side. ‘Yeah. You and Nia are just as bad. All lovey-dovey and adorably quirky all the time.’

Twelfth level intellects rarely blushed, but Brainy often did when it came to his girlfriend. ‘I, well, I...cannot dispute that,’ he shifts on the couch. ‘Actually, since we are here, can I ask you all something?’

‘Of course,’ Maggie says before smirking. ‘Unless it’s about the future, then we can’t answer. Sorry buddy.’

‘Actually it is about the future.’ He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a little black box. ‘Do you think she will like this ring?’

For the second time that day, Kara squeals. ‘Oh my god!’

‘Dude,’ Maggie smiles. ‘I think she’ll love it.’

Alex thinks the same. ‘She definitely will.’

‘Thank you all,’ Brainy smiles. ‘I know I am from the future but, when it comes to things like this, I....well, I just want to be sure. I am rather nervous.’

‘You’ve been together for nearly five years,’ Alex says. ‘If she was going to run away, believe me, she would’ve done so a long time ago.’

The Coluan’s brow furrows as he doesn’t know how to process the remark. ‘Thank...you?’

Kara can’t contain her excitement, slapping her knees before asking. ‘When are you gonna ask her?’

He shrugs. ‘I am not yet sure.’

Alex offers her friend some advice. ‘A wise woman once told me that life is too short.’ She looks over at that wise, and very beautiful, woman. ‘There’s no time like the present. Begin your forever as soon as you can.’ As wonderful as her life was now, those two years they’d spent apart had been the complete opposite, the absolute worst of her life. ‘And, please, consider having an open bar at the wedding.’

‘I agree, especially with that last part.’ Maggie reaches for her bottle of water. ‘I’ll have a lot of drinking to make up for.’

*** *** ***

It’s not Maggie’s first time sleeping on the couch in Alex’s office.

She’s spent many a night there before, more often than not simply to keep her overworked love company on stressful, long days.

It is, however, her first time sleeping there against her will.

She understands why - their house is off limits until things were safe again, or until Alex finds suitable other accommodation - but it doesn’t mean she likes the arrangement.

Alex, bless her heart, tries to make it the best she could, finding the softest blankets, the fluffiest pillows, and adorning the table next to the couch with a beautiful bouquet of flowers - white roses, Maggie’s absolute favorite.

‘Are you sure this is comfortable for you?’ Alex tenderly runs fingers through Maggie’s hair. ‘‘Cause if it isn’t, then there’s always the beds in the medbay. Actual beds.’

‘Hospital beds,’ Maggie adds.

‘Still more comfortable than this couch.’

‘Babe, it’s fine. I like this couch. We go way back,’ Maggie smiles. ‘I’m happy here for now. It’s you that’s sleeping on...well, that.’ She points at the army cot that’d been carried on up to Alex’s office, a glorified camp bed. ‘You can sleep elsewhere if it’s more comfortable. You need a good night's sleep too.’

‘I’m not leaving you two.’

_ Two _ . The acknowledgement of a baby in her belly still gives Maggie goosebumps. She wonders if the novelty will ever wear off - she doubts it. 

‘Today was...scary. But tomorrow we make moves to take Cadmus down for good, and for this little one.’ Alex’s hand moves down to rest on Maggie’s stomach, and she moves in close to whisper to their child. ‘I’m gonna keep you safe, I promise.’ She swallows, just like she always does when she’s trying not to cry. ‘Nothing will happen to you or your mama.’

Maggie places her hand on top. ‘I hope they’re just like you.’

‘I hope they’re like  _ you _ .’

Maggie raises a brow. ‘How about a mix of both?’

Alex grimaces. ‘That sounds terrifying.’

Maggie chuckles. ‘Stubborn as hell.’

‘Potty training is gonna be fun, isn’t it?’

‘And the terrible twos.’

‘We should probably start preparing ourselves for that now.’

‘Well, taking down Cadmus will be decent preparation,’ Maggie says. ‘And, let’s face it, going to war with a terrorist cell will likely be easier than negotiating with a miniature version of ourselves.’

Alex forces a smile. ‘The calm before the storm.’

‘It is,’ Maggie nods. ‘And we’ve got this.’

Alex still looks unconvinced.

That, however, was tomorrow’s problem. ‘Let’s get some sleep, put today behind us, and start afresh in the morning. We go in with clear heads, we strategize and work out the best course of action. Luthor is running scared so there must be a weakness somewhere. We find it, we capitalize on it, we win.’ It was easy to say that out loud - come morning it would understandably be more difficult, feelings clouding things. ‘And we get to go back home.’

This time, the smile seems more genuine. ‘You’re right.’

‘I’m always right.’

‘Annoyingly so.’ They kiss before Alex pulls the blanket up, tucking Maggie into her makeshift bed. ‘Love you.’

‘Love you more.’

‘Impossible.’

_ Old married couple indeed _ .

*** *** ***

For the second night in a row, her wife wakes her up.

‘Alex?’

Her eyes are open but she’s not responding, instead continuing to claw at Maggie’s left arm.

‘Babe? What are--.’

One hand clamps down on Maggie’s bicep, so tightly fingernails dig in.

‘Alex?’

Words seemingly not registering, Maggie has no choice but to, as gently as she can, push Alex away, pushing her back down to that glorified camp bed. Maggie reaches for her phone, turning on the flashlight.

It’s enough to snap Alex out of whatever the hell that was. ‘Wha….hi?’

‘Hi,’ Maggie says gently. ‘You okay?’

Sleepiness and confusion taint Alex’s features. ‘I...think so? What...happened?’ Her eyes go wide as she sees scratches on Maggie’s arm. ‘Did I...did I do that?’

‘You did, but that wasn’t you.’ Her wife worshipped every inch of her body; a fighter at work, but very much a lover at home. ‘It was like you were sleepwalking, except you were…’ she searches for a softer word, not wanting to make her feel guilty, but there wasn’t any nice way, really, to put it, ‘aggressive.’ 

And, of course, Alex feels guilty. ‘Oh my god, I--.’

‘It’s not your fault,’ Maggie stresses. ‘It must’ve been a dream, just like last night.’ She can’t help but notice the shake to Alex’s hands. ‘Were you dreaming? Do you remember--.’

‘No.’

‘Nothing?’ She knows her wife well enough to know she’s holding back. She tries again, but gently, never wanting to press. ‘Love, you can tell me anything.’

‘I know that, I…’

‘It might help to tell me about these dreams, to get them out of your system as opposed to bottling them up and letting them fester.’

‘Tonight, I...I don’t know. I don’t remember dreaming but I could’ve right?’

Maggie nods. ‘Absolutely. The human mind works in weird ways.’ She sees her segue. ‘But last night?’

There was no nice way of saying it. ‘I...I dreamt you died.’

_ Oh. _

‘Murdered. Right in front of me.’

_ Fuck _ . No wonder she’d been in such a state. ‘Well, that was just a dream. I’m right here in front of you, alive and very well.’ She decides to shift off the couch, onto the floor. ‘Are you sure tonight’s wasn’t the same?’

‘Really, I don’t remember.’ And it’s that uncertainty that has Alex looking so small, so scared.

The army cot isn’t all that big but, fortunately, neither was Maggie and she manages to find the space to cuddle up with her wife, and to hold her until she falls asleep.

The sooner they took Cadmus down, the better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what...is...happening??? share your thoughts (or yell at me) down below x


	4. Chapter 4

A couple of hours is all Alex gets, sleepwise.

She doesn’t tell her wife that, though.

No, she lies, and pretends she had a decent night’s sleep when, really, she was lying awake in Maggie’s arms for most of the night, too scared to fall asleep, too scared to dream, and too worried about what needed to be done come morning.

War.

War was coming.

And she couldn’t let there be any casualties on her side. The other side, however? She couldn’t guarantee that.

*** *** ***

Once more, Alex seeks out the nearest agent to run an errand for her,

And, once more, it’s Agent Donovan. ‘Do you know where  _ Noonan’s  _ is?’

‘No ma’am, I do not’

‘Well then,  _ Google Maps  _ will be your best friend.’ She hands him twenty bucks. ‘Get some croissants, sticky buns and orange juice. Oh, and if they have those cookies with  _ M&M _ s get some of those as well.’

Donovan smirks. ‘What, did you fall out with your wife or something?’

‘Is that really an appropriate question to ask your superior?’

The cockiness disappears. ‘No, ma’am. I’m sorry.’

‘As you should be. Now go.’

He heads on his way.

‘And no, I didn’t,’ she feels the need to call out. There may have been that brief moment in which her emotions had clouded things, but it wasn’t a falling out. In all their years together, they’d never fallen out - they bickered, yes, and occasionally argued but they’d always been on the same page, always known that they were stronger together -  _ el mayarah _ .

‘Director Danvers?’

Alex turns at Brainy’s voice. ‘Yeah?’

‘Your mother is here.’

Years ago those four words would strike fear in her. Now they didn’t, far from it, and, especially today, she was glad to hear them. 

*** *** ***

Eliza is waiting in an empty conference room.

Alex is nervous as she makes her way there, rehearsing what she wants to say over and over in her head...and that was just about the Cadmus situation, nevermind the happy news.

‘Hey,’ Maggie slips her hand into Alex’s. ‘It’s gonna be okay.’

Yet Alex can’t help but think the opposite, can’t help but feel like a monster for wanting, so desperately, to bring a child into her fucked up world. For as long as she remained at the DEO, that child would not have a normal life and, even then, with the amount of enemies that Alex had made over the years, there was always going to be danger, someone potentially lurking in the shadows ready to strike - hell, Rick Malverne had been one of them, and his issues with her pre-dated her career.

Eliza greets them both with open arms but, understandably, gives her daughter-in-law a little more attention. ‘Are you okay? I heard what happened.’

‘I’m okay,’ Maggie looks over at Alex. ‘This one is taking real good care of me.’

‘Well, we know she’s a fusser.’

‘Yeah, she is,’ Maggie smiles. ‘I’m a lucky girl.’

And then the mood quickly shifts. ‘So this...this was Cadmus?’ Eliza asks. ‘They tried to kill you?’

‘Yeah, uh,’ Alex gestures to a seat. ‘You should probably sit, this is pretty big and--.’

‘Is it about your father?’

Alex nods.

The wheels begin to spin in Eliza’s mind.

Maggie jumps in to ease her. ‘He’s alive.’ She drops the folder she’d been carrying onto the table, opens it and slides out the shots she’d taken on the stake-out. ‘He’s working for them, likely under their control. But it’s definitely him and, as of yesterday, definitely alive.’

Eliza stares at the grainy photo of her husband. ‘Definitely?’

‘DNA tests say so, yes,’ Alex confirms. ‘That’s all we know for certain.’

‘However,’ Maggie flips the photos over, turning to another page. ‘This is a list of rumoured Cadmus sites in the immediate area. Four, to be exact. I’ve been doing a lot of research into them which is likely why they came after me, to warn me off, because I’m close and, for whatever reason, they can’t or are unwilling to relocate.’

‘She’s got them on the ropes,’ Alex says. ‘I think we could, finally, be closing in.’

They go into as much detail as they can - which, right now, is pretty limited as they’re still working on the best way to approach things, the way that won’t get anybody hurt, let alone killed - before Alex’s mind drifts towards that other, big topic, her wife squeezing her hand for support, to say  _ you’ve got this _ .

‘Mom, uh…’ It dawns on her that she doesn’t know how to actually do this. She had played out this moment in her head for weeks,  _ years _ as she’d dreamt of motherhood but none of those hundreds, if not thousands, of different scenarios she had imagined were even remotely like this. They were all happy and joyous, some were even extremely elaborate, and that was how it should be.

No.

Now was not the right time to tell her.

‘Yes, dear?’

Alex has to think fast, knows that her mom wouldn’t take  _ actually, it’s nothing  _ as an answer. ‘I’m sorry you got dragged into this.’

‘This isn’t your fault, sweetheart.’ Eliza cups Alex’s cheeks. ‘None of this is your fault.’

‘But--.’

‘No,’ the Danvers matriarch says firmly. ‘No  _ buts _ . You do great work here, you’re making a difference in this godforsaken world. You have done nothing to warrant this, nothing at all.’

To hear that meant the world. They’d come so far in recent years, and she finally had her mother’s respect and support. She walks into her mother’s open arms. She couldn’t wait to tell her the happy news when the timing was right.

*** *** ***

They go over the intel in Alex’s office.

As much as she’d like the whole DEO working this, Alex remains on the side of caution and invites only those she absolutely trusts - her wife; her sister; her mother; Brainy; J’onn; and Vasquez.

Eliza only lasts a couple of hours before excusing herself, citing a rough travel day as the need to take a nap in a break room - Alex suspects there’s some truth to that, though also suspects the presence of Jeremiah in the Intel is taking a heavy emotional toll.

Meanwhile Vasquez proves vital, making runs for Alex as and when needed.

And she needs her making those runs. The hours drag and Alex needs to make sure Maggie is well taken care of.

‘One smoothie for Mrs Sawyer-Danvers,’ Vasquez announces as she reenters the room, with a drink from Maggie’s favorite vegan cafe.

Maggie tries to fight the smile but it proves impossible. ‘As much as I love this whole fussing thing, some of it seems a little unnecessary.’

‘I beg to differ,’ Alex says. ‘That contains a lot of vitamins and nutrients, vital for both yourself and the little one.’

Vasquez’s eyebrows shoot up. ‘Wait. Did she just say... _ little one _ ?’

Maggie nods. ‘Yeah I’m sorry but you’re gonna need a new drinking buddy for the next year to so.’

‘Dude!’ The agent runs around the table to hug each of the expectant mothers. ‘That’s amazing, I’m so happy for you two. And, yes, I am available for babysitting.’

‘You will never, in a million years, be babysitting my child,’ Alex says.

Maggie grins. ‘We’ll keep you on the shortlist.’

‘No, we won’t.’

‘Yes, we will,’ Maggie grins.

‘I have three nieces, I’m more than qualified.’

‘There will be a strict vetting process,’ Alex says. ‘And, frankly, even Kara’s odds are currently 50/50.’

‘What?’

‘You heard.’

‘What did I do?’

‘You sometimes have candy for breakfast; I don’t trust you with any sorts of arts and crafts activities anywhere near my couch; you--.’

Maggie can’t help herself. ‘Are a terrible driver.’

Neither can Vasquez. ‘I wouldn’t trust her to throw a kid up in the air either. They might land on Mars.’

‘Hey! I babysat in high school,’ Kara pouts before waving them off. ‘Anyways, as you were saying?’

‘I was saying…’ Maggie hands Vasquez a set of blueprints. ‘With everything we do know, all the sightings and such, this looks to be their main base of operations. So we don’t hit that, at least not for now. That’d be like walking into a firing line. So,’ she grabs another piece of paper. ‘We target this one. Take one of their men as they’re leaving the building and take his place.’ She nods over to the Martian. ‘Well, J’onn will.’

He’s on board with the idea. ‘Yes.’

‘But,’ Alex pipes up. ‘We play the long game. J’onn sits in there for a while and gathers what he can, and we play things by ear, waiting for the right opportunity.’ It’s not ideal but as much as they want Lillian out of the equation, they have to be safe. And this was the safest route they had. ‘That sound good?’

_ Good _ might not be the best choice of words but they unanimously agree on the course of action.

*** *** ***

Playing the long game meant making sacrifices, their Perfect House being one of them for now.

Alex sourced a safehouse in the city, an apartment not too dissimilar to their old one, except this one came with a heavy security presence.

It’s not home but it’ll do.

And Alex tries to make it feel like home as much as possible, arranging for a little bonsai to be sat waiting for them on the dining table.

‘Go on,’ Alex says. ‘You know you wanna.’

She does, she just can’t help herself but name every bonsai she owns. Maggie holds the plant up in the air and smiles. ‘Kevin.’

Alex chuckles, shaking her head. ‘Please don’t do that when our baby is born.’

‘Call them  _ Kevin _ or hold them up in the air to name them?’ Maggie grins.

‘Both.’

‘You’re right,  _ Kevin Sawyer-Danvers _ doesn’t have much of a ring to it.’ She gently puts the plant down and goes over to join her wife on the couch, toeing off her boots to give her feet a much needed rest - she dreads thinking about the coming weeks when her feet would start swelling, though looks forward to the foot rubs which she knows will be as damn good as they will be plentiful. ‘Question...do you want to find out what we’re having?’

‘Honestly? No,’ Alex wraps an arm around her, pulls her close. ‘But if you want to then I’m more than happy to know.’

Maggie rests her head on Alex’s chest. ‘I don’t. It doesn’t really matter to me, I’ll love them whoever they are.’

‘Even if they’re a  _ Patriots _ fan?’

Maggie smiles. ‘I still love you, don’t I?’

‘You do.’ Alex runs her hand up and down Maggie’s back. ‘And I’m grateful. Few people would even think about putting up with this weird, crazy life and yet here you are. Day after day, and not a single complaint.’

‘There’s not anything to complain about.’ And there wasn’t. Life may be weird, and it certainly was crazy but it was also perfect. She wouldn’t change anything for the world.

*** *** ***

It’s a little after two a.m..

She needs to pee.

Then, as she emerges from the en-suite bathroom, she feels a sudden urge for some OJ.

_ Oh. Is this a craving? _

She ponders that as she makes her way through to the kitchen, content with the fact that if it is indeed a craving, it’s a healthy and non-disgusting one, one that she’s more than happy to indulge.

She’s putting the carton back in the refrigerator when she hears footsteps approaching. She hopes it’s just a case of accidentally waking her up, rather than her wife having yet another restless night. ‘Hey, are you--.’ She turns around. ‘--okay?’ 

Alex’s eyes are glazed over as she stares straight ahead, like she’s in a trance.

Maggie slowly makes her way over, knowing that if it is some sort of sleepwalking (again) then it’s best to be gentle, to not startle. ‘Babe,’ she says so softly that it’s barely audible. ‘You’re okay, this is just a dr--.’

Maggie doesn’t counter the fist that comes flying at her face, because she doesn’t expect it.

Nor she does she expect the words that come out of Alex’s mouth.

‘I’m gonna kill you.’ 


	5. Chapter 5

Alex pulls a blade from the knife block.

A chef’s knife - comfortable to hold, sharp enough to hurt, to kill.

Unfamiliar with the layout of the safehouse, Maggie’s back collides with the refrigerator as she backs off. ‘Alex.’ Her tone is calm. ‘You don’t want to do this. I am your wife.’

‘I am going to kill my wife.’ It’s Alex’s voice but it’s bitterly cold, devoid of any emotion.

‘No. No, you are not. Listen to me.’ Still calm, still not moving as Alex gets closer and closer. ‘It’s me. It’s Maggie.’

‘I am going to kill Maggie.’

Now Maggie has no choice but to move, to return to backing away, this time in a different direction, the two of them circling the kitchen island. ‘You love me.’

‘I  _ hate _ you.’

Hearing those words hurt, even though she knows it’s not coming from Her Alex. Her Alex would never even think of hurting her - on the few times she had accidentally, be it an accidental trip or a flying elbow during sparring, she’d always been an apologetic mess so much so that it was almost as hilarious as it was sweet.

No, this wasn’t Alex.

This was a monster, no doubt created by Cadmus.

Maggie keeps her eyes on the blade as she weighs up her, limited, options. Her phone was in the bedroom, but the bedroom was too much of a risk as it was essentially a dead end. No, she has to keep circling, to slowly make her way back over to the refrigerator where the nearest panic button was located and hope that Alex - this  _ monster _ \- didn’t pounce. She keeps talking in the meantime, hoping it’s enough of a distraction. ‘I _ love _ you. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. And I want to help you, because this? This isn’t you.’

‘No.’

‘Yes,’ Maggie insists. ‘Someone’s messing with your mind, and that someone is bad, they want to hurt you too.’

‘I want to hurt  _ you _ .’

‘No,  _ they  _ want to hurt me. Not you.’ She’s almost completed the lap, the panic button almost in reach. Yet that’s gonna mean turning her back to hit it. ‘You’re a good person,  _ the best _ person I’ve ever met. This isn’t you.’

‘This  _ is  _ me. And I  _ hate  _ you.’

A few steps away now, those words still cutting deep. ‘No, you don’t.’

‘Yes, I do.’

Now. It had to be now. ‘Babe, I’m sorry.’ Maggie turns to hit the button.

Alex pounces, grabbing Maggie by the throat and pinning her up against the wall.

_ So sorry.  _ Maggie has no other choice but to drive a knee into her wife’s gut, winding Alex but freeing herself from the chokehold.

The blade clatters to the ground.

Alex is dazed but not grounded, and lunges at Maggie.

Maggie sidesteps the attack.

Alex crashes into a wall.

_ C’mon Kara. Get here. Now.  _

Alex grunts, turning around, angrier than ever. ‘Fuck you.’

Maggie cracks the lame joke in a desperate attempt to cut through to her wife. ‘Yeah, you do. Every night.’

Humour, however, wasn’t programmed into this monster. ‘I will kill you.’ She lunges again, this time succeeding in grabbing her arms. 

Alex’s grip is tight - she’s always been strong but this strength seems beyond her, beyond human capabilities and Maggie’s helpless, unable to break free as they head closer and closer to the window, the one that offers great views of the city and, at five stories high, a devastating drop.

_ Kara. _

_ Kara, please _ .

‘I’m going to kill you,’ ‘Alex’ states once more.

_ Kara, get here now _ .

‘And I’m going to ruin Alex Danvers’ life.’

Yet finally - and thankfully - Kara bursts through the door, pulling Alex away in one swift movement. 

A grateful Maggie drops to her knees, unhurt but lucky to be alive.

Alex goes limp in her sister’s grasp.

Kara gently shakes her. ‘Hey.  _ Hey _ . Alex?’

It takes a few moments but she finally comes to. ‘What...what happened?’

*** *** ***

Alex is confused.

And Alex is sorry, apologising over and over again when she realizes that she tried to kill Maggie, despite Maggie assuring her, over and over again, that it wasn’t her fault. 

‘Someone has done something to make you act this way, and I’m fairly certain I know who.’

So is Alex. ‘Cadmus.’

Alex is taken for testing when they arrive at the DEO.

As much as Maggie wants to accompany her, they collectively decide it might not be the best idea right now, not when they aren’t sure what they’re dealing with. So Kara stays with her sister, whilst Maggie sits in the cafeteria, with Brainy for company.

Her eyes keep drifting down to the scratches on her wrist as she nurses a glass of water. ‘You know I shouldn’t even be surprised by this sort of shit anymore. I should expect it. But that...nothing could ever have prepared me for that.’  _ I hate you _ . Those words still echo. Those words still hurt. ‘That...that was awful.’

‘I cannot imagine,’ the Coluan says before shaking his head. ‘Actually, I can. If that had been Nia then that would have been simply awful.’

Maggie finishes what’s left of her water. ‘Listen, I don’t want to be a buzzkill, and I hate telling people what to do with their lives but please make sure Nia stays out of shit. I know she’s a journalist and sticking her nose into other people’s business comes with the territory but please, please make sure she’s careful. I don’t want anyone else to go through something even remotely like this.’ She sighs. ‘I just wanted a normal pregnancy, you know? Nine months of aches and pains, weird cravings, reading baby books, all that kinda stuff...instead I’m living my life in hiding and even then I’m not safe.’ And the one person that had always been her safe space had just attempted to kill her.

A few moments pass before Brainy reaches across the table and rests his hand on Maggie’s arm. ‘It will all be okay.’

‘You can’t know that.’

‘Oh but  _ I  _ can.’

Then it clicks. And Maggie looks up at the time traveller, a smile tugging at her lips.  _ It will all be okay _ . 

*** *** ***

About an hour or so later, Maggie gets to see her wife.

Alex is being held in one of the holding pods with the big glass windows, like some animal on display. She gets up from the bench as she sees her coming. ‘Maggie.’

‘Babe.’ Maggie presses her hand against the glass. She’s been filled in on everything they do know - which, granted, is little, knowing only that it is indeed Alex that stands in front of her (as proven by DNA tests) and that, somehow, someone (likely Cadmus) had figured out a way to intrude and take control of her thoughts. ‘Are you okay?’

‘I’m fine,’ Alex says. ‘What about you? Did you get checked out?’

_ The fussing _ . Nothing had ever changed. ‘It’s going to be a few scratches and bruises at worst.’

‘I’m so sorry.’

_ And the guilt _ . ‘No. I told you. It’s not your fault.’

‘I did it, though.’

‘No.  _ They _ did it. You would never hurt me,’ Maggie says, and she would say it as often as she needs to. ‘And they want to hurt you, too.’ 

Alex swallows hard, and looks down at the ground. ‘Do...do you remember that nightmare I had a couple of days ago? The first one. On the anniversary of my father’s death.’

‘Yeah, I remember,’ Maggie nods. ‘You said I...died.’ Saying that out loud, after the events of today, was eerie.

And it only gets eerier. ‘You fell from a window in that dream.’

Oh.

_ Oh _ . ‘I didn’t die today though.’ She wishes there wasn’t glass separating them, wishes she could hold her beloved right now. ‘And I’m not planning on it anytime soon either. I have so much to look forward to.  _ We  _ have so much to look forward to. And anyone that tries getting in the way of that wonderful future is going down.’ Starting with Lillian. ‘I’m going to get you moved from here.’

‘No,’ Alex’s tone is firm. ‘Absolutely not. I can’t be trusted around you, or around anyone right now.’

Maggie understands that but she’s also looking at the bigger picture. ‘You can’t be trusted with yourself either, babe.’ She wouldn’t put it past Cadmus to have some sort of self-destruct sequence. ‘Those walls are stone, and that’s glass. They might have you try and hurt yourself and I’m not taking the chance.’ She’d discussed options with Brainy and they’d came to a solution. 

*** *** ***

The Girl of Steel stands watching, feeling awkward. ‘Never thought I’d have to watch my sister’s wife tie her up in bed but, hey, here we are.’

Alex tugs at the restraints. ‘At least these are padded. Maggie’s handcuffs are not.’

Kara rolls her eyes. ‘Thank you. I really needed that mental picture.’

‘Hey, she was just stating a fact,’ Maggie grins. ‘Metal cuts into skin.’

‘Tell me about it,’ Alex adds.

Kara just shakes her head.

Maggie finishes with the last wrist restraints and calls on her sister-in-law. ‘Check them. Make sure they’re secure.’ This - putting Alex in a bed in the medbay, and physically restraining her so she couldn’t move, therefore unable to hurt anyone including herself - was their best and, really, only option. There’d be an armed guard on the door too, and agents and Supergirl on standby if needed. It may seem extreme but it was for the best, and better than a holding pod as it meant Maggie could hold her wife’s hand. ‘This is temporary, I promise.’

‘I know,’ Alex smiles. ‘I know this is right.’

‘Good.’ Maggie leans over to place a kiss on Alex’s lips.

‘Question - how do I eat?’

‘I believe,’ Maggie runs fingers through her wife’s hair, ‘there’ll be a sexy assistant ready to assist you at all times.’

A sigh. ‘That’s it. I’m leaving.’ And Kara does.

Maggie appreciates the privacy, resting her forehead against Alex’s. ‘We’re getting through this. And everything will be okay.’ The earlier reassurance from Brainy had helped. What lay ahead still felt daunting, things could still go wrong, but she felt like she could take it, felt like they were gonna get through this shitstorm...even if the  _ how _ was back to being unclear.

‘Is J’onn still going to go undercover?’

Reluctantly, Maggie shrugs. ‘Maybe. Maybe not. We’re not sure on where we stand right now. We’re going to reassess come morning.’

Alex looks defeated. ‘And we’re back to square one.’

‘No.’ It felt like it but she refuses to let that be the case. ‘No, we take one step back and look at things again, and make sure we’re going about things the right way with this latest development.’

‘You can say we are, it’s okay.’ 

‘We aren’t.’ Or maybe they indeed were but still, she couldn’t think like that. ‘Get some rest. You need it.’

‘You do too,’ Alex says, stretching her fingers in the direction of Maggie’s belly. ‘You both do.’

And she planned on getting some shuteye in the big comfy recliner she had her sister-in-law haul up to Alex’s room. ‘I will do. I’m just gonna go speak to J’onn first and then I’ll be right back.’ Another kiss and she turns to leave.

‘Maggie?’

‘Yeah?’

Alex smiles. ‘I love you so much.’

Maggie can only say those exact same words back.

*** *** ***

Alex was safe.

Things were going to be okay.

Maggie knows she should feel relieved and, to an extent, she does. But she also doesn’t. It’s like what she said to Brainy. She just wanted this to be a normal pregnancy. And this? This wasn’t normal, and nor would it be a story she wanted to tell their kid somewhere down the line. It was what it was, and that was a giant clusterfuck.

And, as she steps out of the elevator, returning to Alex and what would be her bed for the night, that clusterfuck threatened to grow a little bit larger.

The guard on the door was gone.

It could very well be innocent but nothing of late had been, and she keeps a hand on her gun as she goes to investigate and, most importantly, check her wife was okay.

She gets to the door, sticks her head in the room and sees Alex. asleep. 

_ Good _ .

‘Hands in the air. Now.’ A voice behind her demands, a voice she faintly recognises.

_ Not so good _ .

‘Make an attempt to draw your weapon and I won’t even hesitate.’ She definitely recognises it now.

‘I hope you know you’ve made the biggest mistake of your life, kid.’

Agent Donovon doesn’t believe so. ‘I’d like to consider it being set for life,’ he says.

‘Cadmus pays that much?’

‘Luthors always do.’ He jabs her back with what feels like the butt of a handgun. ‘Hands. In the air.’

Maggie’s not cooperating. ‘No.’

‘You want to die right here?’

‘You really think you’ll get out of the building if you kill me?’ Actually, there was a chance he could but she wasn’t telling him that. Her eyes flick over to Alex who was still in the land of slumber, looking as peaceful as she did beautiful, just like always. ‘You’re delusional, you’re--.’

‘Going to drop that in the next five seconds or I will drop you,’ finishes another voice, a female voice and one that Maggie does not recognise. ‘Five seconds, Agent Donovan. Four...three…’

‘Not happening,’ he snarls.

The unknown woman doesn’t finish her countdown.

Maggie flinches at the gunshot.

Alex shoots awake.

Maggie turns, finding a petite brunette standing over Agent Donovan who looks to have been shot in the back of the knee. She kicks the Glock that’s fallen from his grasp away. 

The woman extends a hand. ‘Major Lucy Lane. I don’t believe we’ve ever met.’


	6. Chapter 6

Little button nose.

Tufts of dark hair.

And tiny, so tiny.

The little one was the spitting image of their mama, who was holding her newborn proudly in her arms, exhausted yet absolutely glowing after bringing this perfect little angel into the world.

Alex had assumed they’d both still be sleeping as she made a quick trip down to the giftshop, to buy Maggie some flowers - white roses, of course - so coming back and finding them awake was a surprise, but a very pleasant one.

The two most important people in her life.

Her life, period.

‘Hey you two.’  _ Two _ . It had really happened. They finally had a child. After years of trying, they had a child. ‘How are you feeling?’

Maggie smiles. ‘I can’t vouch for this one but I’m feeling great. This...it's the best feeling in the world.’

Alex comes over, setting the roses down on the bedside table, before squeezing herself onto the small amount of space on the bed. ‘Look at them...they’re so perfect.’

‘Aren’t they just?’ 

Watching her wife place the gentlest of kisses on their baby’s little forehead, Alex’s heart feels like it’s about to burst.

‘They aren’t yours, though.’

And with those words, Alex feels like a knife went right through that heart. ‘What?’

‘This isn’t your child,’ Maggie says. ‘This is my child. They came from me. Not you. They don’t have your DNA. Not a single ounce of it. They’re not yours.’

That knife twists, sinking it deeper and deeper. ‘No, I--.’

‘You gave me up for this,’ Maggie’s voice is bitterly cold. ‘You broke my heart. You tossed me out onto the street. You took everything away from me and left me with nothing. Well, you know what? It’s time for me to do the same to--.’

She bolts awake from her nightmare.

She’s shaking.

She’s in tears.

She’s also confused as hell as to why she just heard a gunshot.

All becomes clear in a few minutes as Maggie and Lucy enter the room.

Well, not much clearer, but it seems clarity is at least on the way.

‘Babe!’ Maggie comes rushing over.

Alex can’t help but notice the tremble in her wife’s hands. ‘What happened?’ She turns to Lucy. ‘Who did you shoot?’

‘A traitor.’

_ Why wasn’t she surprised?  _ ‘Cadmus?’

Lucy nods.

Alex wants a name. ‘Who?’

Lucy can only look over at Maggie. ‘What was his name?’

‘That kid that’s been following you around like a lost puppy the past few weeks. Agent Donovan.’

Oh. He had seemed a little too eager to please now, in hindsight. Not that it mattered because she was careful, and always had been. He wasn’t the first mole in the agency, and he wouldn’t be the last. In short, she didn’t trust anyone that wasn’t her chosen family. ‘Is he--.’

‘Dead? No.’ Lucy shakes his head. ‘Though the pain he’ll be in, potentially for the rest of his life, combined with the repercussions for betraying his country, he might as well wish he was.’

‘She shot him in the knee,’ Maggie explains.

‘He was going to shoot your wife, I didn’t have a choice.’

That would explain the tremble. Maggie was the strongest person she knew, had gone to hell and back countless times throughout her life but even she had her breaking point. The past few days had been worse than hell, for both of them. Alex beckons, as much as she can with her restraints for Maggie to come over, so she can hold that hand, to help steady those trembles. ‘You’re safe. That’s what matters.’ She smiles at Lucy, her guardian angel, the one that had answered her (literal) call yesterday. ‘Thank you for coming.’

Lucy nods. ‘Always.’

*** *** ***

Alex opens up, and shares the nightmare she had.

It hurts to hear, but Maggie’s also glad to hear it, knowing that it was better out in the open then keeping shit like that bottled up. She calls J’onn, to ask if there’s anything he can do with his capabilities to help clear Alex’s mind from whatever it was that was plaguing her - he can’t make any guarantees, but he promises to try.

She also reassures Alex that the nightmare will never be true - ‘I mean, I had a salad for lunch the other day, and I immediately threw it up. That’s definitely a  _ Danvers _ I’m carrying.’

*** *** ***

Maggie knew of Lucy, but what she did know was little.

All she knew was that she was DEO, now oversaw operations on the east coast and was a force of nature - the latter couldn’t be any more accurate, as Maggie finds the Major in the armoury, looking for the weapons she’d take to war.

'I didn’t know you and Alex kept in touch.’

‘We always have,’ Lucy inspects a rifle before putting it back. ‘We didn’t always get along and we haven’t seen each other in years, but we text often.’ She says it as if it’s common knowledge.

It’s news to Maggie. ‘I wasn’t aware. I don’t keep tabs on who my wife is texting.’

‘Her ex did.’

Maggie’s eyebrows shoot up. ‘Seriously?’

‘Yep. Though, to be fair, that might’ve been because it was me. She’d never liked me.’

‘You knew her before she dated Alex?’ Maggie asks.

‘I dated her brother.’

‘Oh.’ There’s some stories there for sure. ‘Have you met Agent Vasquez? I’m sure you two would get along.’

Lucy smiles. ‘We’ve been friends for years. We also text.’

‘I bet you do.’ And Maggie would love to be part of that particular group chat. ‘So,’ she pushes herself off of the table she was leaning against. ‘What’s your plan?’

‘My plan?’ Lucy slams a fresh round into her 9mm. ‘Is for you to stay the hell out of my way.’

‘Excuse me?’

‘You heard,’ the Major says. ‘That’s why I’m here. To take these assholes down.’

‘Yeah,’ Maggie nods. ‘As a team.’

Lucy slips the gun into her holster before gesturing to the window. ‘See all those agents out there? They’re my team. They listen to my orders, and they’ll do exactly as I’ll say. Cadmus wants a war, so they’ll get a war.’

Maggie rolls her eyes. ‘The government and a war. How original.’

‘You got a better plan, Sawyer?’

Maggie doesn’t, not yet.

‘Exactly what I thought,’ Lucy says, smugly. ‘My men hit their buildings, offer them a chance to come peacefully. If they decline then that’s on them.’

‘That’s a terrible idea. You’ll be sending your  _ team _ into a firing line. That’s a bloodbath waiting to happen.’

‘Intel almost certainly confirms we’ll outnumber them.’

‘And?’ Maggie scoffs. ‘That’s still reckless. Lives will be lost. On our side. And for what? If we don’t take Cadmus down, then we come away weaker and some poor bastard in uniform has to make a series of house visits to break the news to various families.’ She shakes her head. ‘No. I can’t allow that.’

‘I outrank you.’

‘Yeah but Alex outranks you,’ Maggie counters. ‘And she wouldn’t agree with this. Not in a million years.’ 

‘We don’t have any other options.’

‘Lemme me find one,’ Maggie pleads. There was a better alternative than this, there just had to be.

Lucy sighs, placing the rifle she’d been holding down on the steel table. ‘Twelve hours.’

That wasn’t enough. They had to be realistic. ‘Thirty-six.’

It’s countered. ‘Twenty-four.’

That was what she was looking for, and that’d be enough. ‘Thank you.’

*** *** ***

It’s not a proper plan as of yet, but she knows what her first step is going to be.

However, she’ll only take it after dropping in on her wife and J’onn, who’d spent the past half hour or so trying to get to the root of all these weird episodes.

And, it seems, he had gotten to the root. ‘Agent Donovan,’ he says. ‘He arrived here about a month or so ago, and there seems to be some fuzziness in Alex’s mind around that time. Not much, just momentary lapses of concentration and memories but it seems he’s caused it somehow.’

_ Lapses of memories _ . Now Maggie remembers. ‘A few weeks ago....we watched a movie. Alex woke up the following morning, couldn’t remember what we’d watched. I thought it was just the wine talking but--.’

‘Likely not,’ J’onn nods.

‘Though, the wine was probably a factor too,’ Alex adds.

J’onn lets out a small chuckle. ‘That is true.’

‘So what do we do?’ Maggie asks. If they knew the cause, then they could fix things, right?

J’onn grows sombre. ‘There is only one option, and there’s no guarantee it would work. And, of course, it comes with some risks, albeit very unlikely.’

‘And that is?’ Alex looks over at him, and then over at Maggie.

‘We erase all your memories since Donovan joined. That whole three and a half week time period.’

_ Shit. Three and a half weeks.  _ A lot had happened in those three and a half weeks; those three and a half weeks had been among the best in their lives. So many happy tears had been shed as they’d found out about their much longed for, and already much loved child, and then even more tears at the scan, when they’d seen their child for the first time. ‘That’s--.’

Alex doesn’t even hesitate. ‘Do it.’

Even J’onn looks taken aback by the certainty, because of the memories she would lose. ‘Are you sure? We can look into other ways, try to avoid this--.’

Alex is certain, and she’s smiling as she explains. ‘Finding out Maggie was pregnant was...well, that was amazing. Seeing our kid for the first time? I’ll never have words for how incredible that was. And I remember thinking to myself, both times, how I’d love to experience those moments again and well...now I can.’ There’s tears in her eyes, but they’re happy ones. ‘I have the opportunity to put things right, and relive the best moments of my life? I’m more than okay with that.’

*** *** ***

Preparations are made for Alex’s very partial mindwipe.

Maggie excuses herself as Alex records a video to her future self to explain things.

She has a call to make, a call to an old friend that had the right contacts. ‘Hey, Lena.’

‘So the  _ SuperFriends  _ finally remembered that I exist, huh?’ It’s been five years since Kara and co had last spoken to Lena, the latter’s experimental work becoming too murky and unethical (yet not illegal) that they had wanted to distance themselves from her. At heart, she was still a good person, it’s just she had refused, time and time again, to approach her work in a safer manner. Best friends or not, Kara couldn’t agree with that, and the rest of the group had felt the same. ‘Or are you calling to try to arrest me? Because, if so, good luck - I know the laws, and I know I have done nothing wrong.’

‘I know you haven’t.’ Admittedly Maggie had, years ago, looked into what Lena was doing, to see if she could put a stop to it but she had found nothing she could be arrested for. Morally wrong wasn’t the same as criminally wrong. ‘It’s, uh, it’s your mother that has.’

‘I still don’t have the best relationship with her.’

‘Yeah, I figured that but...but you can get in touch with her if needed, right?’

A few seconds of silence. Then, ‘So you need a favour?’

‘It’d be a big one. I wouldn’t trouble you if it wasn’t important. There’s...a lot at stake here.’

More silence on the other end.

‘Please. Come to the DEO. I will explain everything, and you can decide if you want to help. It’s,’ she’s unable to stop her voice from cracking. ‘Really important. Please.’

Further dead air. And finally, ‘I’ll think about it.’ Lena hangs up.

Maggie hopes she will, and soon.

*** *** ***

J’onn wipes Alex’s mind.

The pre-recorded video explains some things, but not everything - they kept that news for Maggie to share. ‘There’s something else you need to know, and this...this is good news.  _ Wonderful _ , actually.’

‘Yeah?’ 

They’d first found out together, sat on the bathroom floor, watching a handful of plastic strips turn positive but the news hadn’t really sunk in until a doctor made it official. This time, Maggie knew it was real and, this time, Maggie had something to show. She unbuttons her jeans, letting them slide down as she lifts her shirt. ‘This,’ she caresses the small bump. ‘Is our baby.’

Watching Alex’s dream become true a few weeks ago had been special.

Getting to tell Alex that her dream had become true now? That was even more so.

‘I…’ Alex runs gentle fingers over the growing stomach. ‘...really?’

Maggie’s eyes are starting to sting with tears. ‘Really.’

‘Wow.’ The word is breathless, barely even a whisper. ‘So...a lot really happened this past month, huh?’

Maggie chuckles. ‘Yeah, it’s been a crazy one.’ The _best one_, despite everything.

And one that was only getting better and better and Alex places her ear up against Maggie’s stomach. ‘Hey baby.’ She looks up as it dawns on her, suddenly. ‘How far along are we?’

‘Eleven weeks,’ Maggie says, fingers trailing through Alex’s hair. ‘Their ears haven’t developed yet, so they won’t be able to hear you, but they’ll know their mommy’s there.’

‘You’ve been reading some books, I see.’

‘No,’ Maggie smiles. ‘You have. Every night, you’d read them to me,’ she looks down at her belly, at her kid. ‘To  _ us _ .’ And now came the next, exciting part - as awful as the situation prompting this mindwipe was, getting to do all this all over again and seeing Alex’s reaction made it worth it. ‘C’mon. Let me show you them.’


	7. Chapter 7

It hadn’t been anything like the movies.

It hadn’t been a fairytale. No, it had been a long couple of years full of false starts; lows; and tears, a  _ lot _ of tears.

Alex was glad they were now happy tears.

Alex was also glad that this wasn’t a dream, that this was real life and her life moving forward.

_ Unless… _

_ Stop it _ , she tells herself.  _ That outlook isn’t going to get anyone anywhere _ . The only thing she can do right now is live her life to the fullest and, by god, is that life full. ‘I never thought a bunch of wiggly lines could be so beautiful,’ Alex muses as she stares at the picture for what must be the hundredth time. Seeing them, their child, on that screen, live, moving had been one thing but it had also been one big, teary blur. Her eyes were still red. ‘We did that.’

‘We did.’

‘Wow.’ She’s lost count at how many times she’s said that the past half hour. It’s funny, really. She’d been wanting this for so long, pictured this happening a million times and more and, still, doesn’t know how to comprehend it, to process it, to even be ready for it.

She feels wholly unprepared for this big shift in her life.

She also feels, however, able to tackle absolutely everything with Maggie by her side.

*** *** ***

One hour and fifteen minutes of the permitted twenty-four hours have passed.

Alex is still riding the high of finding out she’s about to become a mother, but the fears about what will happen next in regards to Cadmus are hanging heavy over her head like a black cloud, a shitstorm threatening to rain down. ‘What are we going to do if she doesn’t come?’

‘She’ll come,’ Maggie says.

‘Maybe but it doesn’t mean she’ll help. After all, she has no reason to, not after the way we treated her.’ The end of that friendship was abrupt and brutal. Lena didn’t have many friends or anyone, really, and they’d just disowned her, just like that.

‘That was justified.’

And, ultimately, yeah, it was. Lena’s experiments were getting more and more reckless. Lives were being lost, waivers and disclaimers signed by the participants of said experiments being the only thing that protected her from jail. ‘She would be justified if she refused to help us.’ They’re on the couch in Alex’s office, Alex cuddled up into her wife’s side, head resting on Maggie’s chest. ‘I wouldn’t blame her, or hold it against her.’

Maggie’s hand rests at the small of Alex’s back, her fingers occasionally wandering a little every now and then, to slip under the sweatshirt and brush against flesh. ‘Neither would I...we might need to find a compromise.’

As comfortable as Alex was, she can’t help but look up. ‘Our morals? No. Never. People have died because of her actions.’ 

‘And more people might die if we don’t find middle ground,’ Maggie says matter of factly. ‘I hate what she’s done too but it’s supposedly all been done in misguided attempts to make the world a better place. So, if she really does want to make the world a better place, maybe we can help facilitate that. Provide resources, research, knowledge, and make sure everything we do is above board. If she abuses that then it’s over.’

‘It shouldn’t even begin in the first place.’

‘The DEO didn’t exactly have the best track record until you and J’onn help turn things around.’ 

Alex can’t dispute that.

Alex is very much ashamed of that.

And, so, Maggie’s right. ‘Let’s offer her a second chance. Rescind it if, or when, she does anything wrong. Maybe this time we’d also have the grounds to put her away, too.’

It sounds easy saying it like that.

It sounds like their only real option, too.

That was, of course, if Lena was willing to play ball. And, right now, the ball was firmly in her court.

*** *** ***

They get news just before the three hour mark, Brainy the messenger.

‘Lena is here.’

Alex sits up.

Maggie smiles because it’s something, a sign that the bridge hadn’t been completely burnt just yet. 

‘Do you want me to come with?’ Kara asks. She’d been the one that had been closest before the fallout but, however, that also meant the fallout between the two had been greater, hence why Maggie shakes her head.

‘I think it’s best if it’s just us two.’

Alex clears her throat.

Maggie arches a brow. ‘What?’

‘It’s three now,’ Alex adorably corrects, her hand sliding around Maggie’s waist to rest on her stomach. ‘Can’t forget the little one.’

Maggie rests her hand on top. ‘I will  _ never _ forget them.’ Her fingers slide between Alex’s, interlocking. The little one was the reason. The reason why they had to rid this world of evil. The reason why they’d do anything they could. The reason why, period.

Their reason.

Their world.

*** *** ***

They head to the conference room where Lena waits.

The Luthor isn’t in the mood for any pleasantries. ‘What do you want?’ She’s standing next to a bodyguard who’s more muscle than human.

Maggie isn’t up for waiting around either, not wanting to waste precious time, cutting right to it. ‘Your mother needs to be stopped.’

Lena laughs. ‘She needed to be stopped a long time ago.’

Neither of them would disagree with that. ‘Things have gotten more pressing,’ Alex says before sliding that already well-thumbed printout across the table. ‘That’s our child. They’re not even twelve weeks and, already, there’s been two attempts made on their mother’s life. That’s two attempts on their life too.’

It’s a heavy revelation, one that puts enough pressure on Lena’s initial steely front. Her morals have been questionable but she’s not a monster. ‘That’s…’ she tails off, looking between Alex and Maggie. ‘Who--.’

‘Me,’ Maggie replies. ‘But she’s also been fucking with Alex too. More than usual. And she’s got her father too.’

Lena’s eyes narrow. ‘What prompted this?’

‘Fear,’ Alex says. ‘Maggie’s done some digging into Cadmus and, it appears, we’ve hit a nerve. So much so she’s coming after us. She’s never been as direct as this.’

Silence falls for a few moments, Lena’s eyes fleeting ever so briefly back down to the ultrasound picture. ‘You turned your back on me. You all did. And I didn’t do anything wrong.’

‘If you’re seeking an apology then you’ll be disappointed,’ Alex holds strong, they had nothing to apologise for.

Lena frowns. ‘That doesn’t seem like the best way to try asking someone for help.’

‘Maybe not, but we still don’t approve of the work that you, and L-Corp, did.’ Maggie takes over. ‘However, we are open to collaborating. You, and your team, work alongside the DEO. We research, develop and conduct experiments together. With our combined resources, we could make real waves in science. Everyone benefits.’

_ El mayarah _ , Alex can’t help but think again.  _ Stronger together _ .

‘Or?’ Lena asks.

Maggie shrugs. ‘Or nothing changes. And the second you make one mistake, I’ll make sure I’m the arresting officer.’

‘So friendly,’ Lena remarks.

Alex can’t stand this shit. ‘Drop the act. You’re a good person. A good person who, if you don’t do anything, is going to have to live with the fact that many good people who work for this agency are going to die when an army major attacks all known Cadmus bases. A good person who might have to live with the death of a--.’ 

Lena cuts her off before she finishes.

Alex is infinitely grateful she does - she didn’t want to say that out loud, even though it was still a very real, and terrifying, possibility.

‘I’ll help. Just tell me how, and I’ll do what I can.’

‘Arrange to meet your mother,’ Maggie instructs.

‘That might seem suspicious.’

‘When was the last time you spoke?’

‘A few weeks ago,’ Lena says. ‘By phone. I haven’t seen her in person for months and, even then, that meeting wasn’t by my own volition.’

Perching on the edge of the table, Maggie gives it some thought. ‘Has L-Corp been developing anything that may be of interest to her?’

‘I doubt my mother cares enough about medicine to help the sick.’ Of course. Lena always meant well. ‘I don’t think that’d interest her in the slightest.’

It’s Alex that has an idea. ‘We have weapons. I’m sure Lillian would be interested in that. Hell, I have fresh notes on the latest plasma ionic shooter we’re about to put into development. You could say that’s what L-Corp is working on. Or, better yet, say you acquired them from us somehow.’

‘You think she’ll believe that?’

Maggie shrugs. ‘Maybe, maybe not. Though given the fact you haven’t spoken to us in years, why would she believe otherwise?’

‘News travels fast,’ Alex continues. ‘You heard what was happening between her and us, and you want to screw us over. That’s plausible and, to be honest, I wouldn’t blame you either.’

Lena chews on her lip as she considers it. ‘I’ll do it.’

*** *** ***

A suitable location is found, made secure and rigged.

A meet is then arranged.

Lillian, unsurprisingly, seems eager to screw over the DEO, relishing the opportunity, finally showing some pride towards her daughter.

After all the preparations are made, they have an hour until they made a move -  _ they _ being Lena, Lucy, and the small army that Lucy was taking. Neither Alex or Maggie would be leaving the building. 

All they could do is wait.

And, as Alex paces, Maggie repeats Brainy’s words from earlier. ‘It’s all going to be okay.’

*** *** ***

Lena meets with her mother.

Lillian is very interested in the intel her daughter offers her which comes as no surprise - the notes, the research, the detailed blueprints are all legit, Director Danvers’ sign-off on every page, the official greenlight to spend a chuck of the R&D department’s budget to create the weapon. She’s curious, of course, as to how these were acquired.

‘You have your sources, I have mine,’ Lena replies, remaining calm. ‘Trust these are legit.’

‘And what do you want from this?’

‘I want them to suffer,’ she says coldly, sounding very much like what the Luthor’s name has come to represent. ‘I’ve checked these plans over and alterations could, very easily, be made to add a little Kryptonite. One shot would be more than enough to take out Supergirl.’

Alex glances over at her sister who looks taken aback by the coldness of her former best friend’s analysis. ‘

Is...is that,’ Kara swallows hard, ‘Is that correct?’

Alex shakes her head. ‘No.’ She’d never offer plans that could be manipulated in such a way.

‘Good.’ 

They keep watching, listening to the Luthors make small talk before, finally, Lucy and her team make a move.

Their orders are to bring Lillian in, be it dead or alive.

Lillian, of course, has a back-up plan as the small army of heavily armed DEO agents close in on her. ‘Let me walk,’ she brings out a deadman switch from the pocket of her coat. ‘Or Jeremiah Danvers dies.’

*** *** ***

They recover Jeremiah Danvers’ body the following day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ....final chapter up next week x


	8. Chapter 8

The funeral is held two days later.

It was the second time burying her father and, this time, Alex feels at peace. Numb and heartbroken, yes, but comforted by closure and the fact that his suffering was finally over. He was back with his family in some way, even if it wasn’t the way that any of them wanted.

‘I love you,’ Alex says as she tosses a handful of dirt onto the coffin. ‘Always.’

*** *** ***

Lillian Luthor is taken to a federal prison where she will spend the rest of her life.

Cadmus is officially shut down.

Alex and Maggie both receive Presidential commendation for their efforts but, ultimately, neither of them really care about the plaudits. In fact, Alex actually takes a step back from the DEO, a move that, for now, is neither permanent or temporary - she hasn’t given much thought about what her career holds moving forward but, right now, her career is the last thing on her mind and she just wants to put family first.

It’s two weeks since Jeremiah’s death and, finally, they’re about to break their happy news to Eliza.

Maggie’s baby bump is unmistakable now but, thanks to loose sweaters, they’ve managed to keep it quiet, not wanting to risk tarring the news of the widow’s first grandchild with the grief of losing her husband - to an extent they know Eliza will always associate the two, it’s only natural, but they hope it’ll now come at a time where she’s able to celebrate it.

‘You ready?’

Alex is rummaging through a stack of magazines on the coffee table. She most certainly doesn’t look _ready_. ‘I’m trying to find the little one’s first ultrasound. It didn’t get lost when they…’  _ sent my father, who was under their control, to break into our house _ . Of course, they could only theorize how they had managed to convince Jeremiah to do their dirty work, especially since Lillian was refusing to talk, but it wasn’t much of a stretch to assume that the bomb he had been wearing, the one that Lillian had detonated and killed him with, had been a big reason why he’d been so willing to work for them. Still, it’s too raw for Alex to acknowledge her father being used like that. All she can manage is,  _ ‘ _ ...you know?’

‘It got knocked off the table,’ Maggie walks over to the little side table by the couch and picks up the hardback book. ‘I stuck it in here in case your mom saw--.’ Her jaw drops.

‘What?’

Maggie hadn’t seen the words written on the back before. She recognises the handwriting though.

So does Alex. ‘I…’ Tears fill her eyes as she reads the words, words that had been written by her father.

_ You’re going to be an incredible mother. You both are. This kid is already so lucky. _

_ Love you, _

_ Dad _

_ (aka Grandpa!) _

*** *** ***

They don’t tell Eliza about the note.

They do, however, as planned, tell her about the baby.

It’s a nervous, yet excited, Alex that goes for it, as they help the Danvers matriarch with the dishes after dinner. Kara sits at the kitchen island, watching with a smile on her face.

‘Mom, I, uh,’ Alex fumbles a little over her words. ‘I,  _ we _ , have news.’

Eliza senses the lightness in her daughter’s voice so looks confused rather than concerned. ‘News that you are going share?’

Alex wastes no more time. ‘Maggie’s pregnant. We’re having a baby.’

What follows is Eliza’s biggest smile in weeks, if not years, if not maybe ever.

*** *** ***

A few weeks later, Maggie finds another note, again from her late father-in-law. 

This one is well-hidden, tucked in the jacket of a coat that Maggie just about manages to still fit into. The hiding place was necessary though, as this note is meant for her.

_ I don’t think I’m ever getting out of this. It’s over for me, and it has been for a long time. Continue taking care of my daughter for me. I know you already do and, for that, I am beyond grateful. You make her so happy, and that’s all I could ever wish.  _

_ Thank you.  _

_ Congratulations on the baby. And good luck...if they’re anything like their mother, then they’re going to be a handful!  _

_ ~ Jeremiah _

*** *** ***

After a couple of months out, Alex returns to work.

She feels refreshed, revitalised and refocused.

She also doesn’t want to make a fuss about her first day back so doesn’t announce it in advance to anyone but the Vice President, Maggie and, of course, the bump.

‘I’ll be home soon,’ she says with a smile to her wife’s belly, keenly aware that her child is now able to hear and had, on a few occasions, seemingly kicked in response to their voices. ‘In the meantime, please stop using your mama’s bladder like a football, alright? I’ll buy you a football and you can get it when I meet you, alright? That a good compromise?’

Maggie chuckles before feeling a kick, one that, thankfully, isn’t aimed at the organ in question. ‘I think that’s a yes.’

‘And I think I’m buying them a football,’ Alex grins. ‘I mean a compromise is a compromise, right?’

‘Only if they hold up to their end of the bargain.’

‘Well,’ Alex pushes herself up of her knees and back to full height, her fingers dancing up her wife’s arm. ‘You will have to keep me informed on that one, and tell me if they do.’

And they, little Eli Jeremiah James Sawyer-Danvers, pretty much do every single day until they finally come into the world. 

Throughout the pregnancy, neither of them cared what gender their baby was going to be, nor did they really care now because it never mattered. Yet still...there’s a part of Alex that feels that welcoming a son, so soon after losing her father, feels right. The baby, of course, shares only Maggie’s genetics, but the thick dark wisps of hair Eli has reminds Alex that little bit of her dad. ‘Hey sweetheart,’ she whispers as the newborn wakes up, opening his eyes and looking straight at her, with wonder and confusion as he tries to adjust to the world. ‘Hey.’

Maggie’s feigning a state of sleep and has been watching the two of them for the past five minutes, not wishing to interrupt the cutest, and most perfect, thing she’s ever seen.

‘Guess I owe you a football, huh?’

Maggie’s smile grows.

‘I’ll be honest with you, kiddo. I don’t know shit about football. Watching the  _ Superbowl _ every year is a different thing to actually watching football. But you’re lucky, ‘cause your mama? She knows football, even though her choice in teams is questionable.’

Maggie can’t help it. ‘My choice is teams is  _ excellent _ .’

Alex looks up, beams. ‘Hey. You sleep well?’

She had, very much so. ‘Ask me that question in a couple of days.’

‘Nah,’ Alex looks down at the little human in her arms. ‘My new little buddy, Eli, he’s not gonna ‘cause us any hassle, are you?’ She kisses his forehead. ‘God, I love him. And they weren’t kidding, babies smell good.’

‘I’ll pass on your compliments to my womb.’ A thought crosses Maggie’s mind. She snickers. ‘Womb service, oh my god.’

‘Someone is still a little high from that epidural.’

Maggie shakes her head. ‘High on life, actually.’ Oh, that was corny. Maybe Alex was right, maybe she was. Whatever it was, she had a hunch that this feeling would last forever because her son was perfect, her wife was perfect, and her life was too. ‘What time is it?’

Carefully, Alex shifts her arm to see her watch. ‘Almost nine. Which means that my sister will be here in five...four...three...tw--.’

There’s a series of gentle raps at the door.

Kara was never going to be late for visiting time.

‘Come in,’ Maggie laughs.

The Kryptonian enters, carrying chocolates for the new mothers and a stuffed bear for the new human. Her face simply lights up as she lays eyes on her nephew. ‘Oh my god, look at him.’

And so begins the long line of visitors - Eliza; J’onn; Winn; Brainy and his new fiancee, Nia; James all the way from Metropolis; Lena; and more were planning on seeing the new arrival over the coming days, including Clark and Lois. 

They’d been through so much in recent months, and even more in recent years. In fact, their whole relationship and, pretty much, their lives had involved a series of challenges to overcome. Yet here they were. Together, surrounded by loved ones and very, very happy.

And as they sat, holding little Eli, excited for the next chapter in their lives, their next set of challenges, they felt ready because, after all,  _ el mayarah _ .

Stronger together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for all the support with this fic, and sticking through all the twists and turns and, of course, the angst. really appreciate it, and really enjoyed reading all the comments/theories you left down below.
> 
> ...until the next fic! :)


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